Material separating apparatus



May 12, 1953 v GORDON ETAL 2,638,219

MATERIAL SEPARATING APPARATUS Filed March 13, 1950 INVHVTORS ELWIN v Gonna/v ROBERT D. SIMPSON FRANK CARDOZA Patented May 12, 1953 UNITED PATENT OFFICE 2,638,219 MAEERIA'L SEPARATING APPARATUS Elwin v. Gordon and Robert 'D. Simpson, Leandro, and Fran-l; Cardoza, Hayward, Calif. designers to Farm iiroduction Engineers, Ina, Hayward, Calif in "corporation of California Applicationltlarch 13, 195i). S erial No. 149346 This invention relates to improvements in mechanisms for separating "entrained material from a fillid carrier mass and embodies improvements over the prior applications of Elwin V. Gordon, Serial No. 39,314, now abandoned, filed July 17, 1948, and Serial No. 96,332, filed May 31, 1949.

In the aforesaid prior. applications, separa tors are disclosed which include separation chambers into which may be delivered a preferably continuously replenished stream of fluid having material particles to be extracted entrained therein, the stream and entrained material being subjected within the chamber to the combined actions of centrifugal, gravital and buoyant forces so controlled that selected components of prescribed unit mass weight or the material are allowed "to descend out of the chamber while the remaining mixture or rejected particles and the carrier fluid are directed along an oppositely extending path for disposal. While the mechanisms described are capable of effecting a very high percentage of re--' covery of the selected components from the mass of material and its :fluidcarrier it is possible, due to unpredictable disturbances in the "operational balances of the forces or for other reasons, that some values may escape extraction and will be carried off with the waste. Such value lossesare detected by periodic inspections "or sample lo'ts "of the tailings and if the percentage of values should be found to be exceptionally reprocessing of the tailings may be necessary to effect recovery of the value. vA principalreason for the existence of the aforesaid values in the tailings is anatural concentration or compaction of the material pan ticles and carrier fluid at what may be aptly referred to as the threshold whereat the opposing forces which efiect directional diversion of the selected components and the remainder of the mass reach a substantial balance with the result that some values deeply embedded in the mass may be carried across the threshold before the separation forces can fully act thereon to effect proper extraction of the values from the undesirable components of the mass, and, conversely,

some waste material may be carried with recovered values into the collection receiver for the latter.

An object of the present invention is to provide means, in separation apparatus or the character described, for eil'ecting thorough removal of undesirable matter which may happen to be carried with the values past the point wherein they are initially separated from the parent mass of material.

in a separator of the type referred to, means operative to effect dispersion oft he 'inixtureprior and up to the time that the latter reaches the aforesaid threshold at which actual separation of the values from the remainder oi the mass takes place so as to minimize entrapment of values in the mixture which adversel 'airects proper and maximum recovery of the values.

A still further object 'of the invention is to provide a separator and rec'leaner apparatus ca pable of operation by means of a single stream of carrier fluid.

The invention possesses other obie'cts and features of advantage, some of which, with the 'f'ore" going, will he set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, hcwever, that variations in the show-- ing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of one form of separator apparatus of my invention in which multi-stage. separation of material is effected in a unitary separation housing.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing modified apparatus for cheating 'multi state operation in independent housings.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken in the plane indicated by theline 3-3 of Figure l.

The apparatus shown in the drawing is funda mentally the same as those disclosed in the aforesaid prior applications With the exceptions hereinafter noted and comprises, with reference to Figure 1, a cylindrical sheet metal housing 3 having at its upper end-an inwardly directed periphoral-flange 4 bordering a vent opening 6 and provided at its lower end with a downwardly convergent frusto-conical. extension 1 having a corn trally disposed discharge aperture 8 at its lower extremity. A dish-shaped hood 9 concentric with the upper end of the housing 3 is arranged to be adjustably raised and loweredso as to vary the effective area of the vent opening 5 or to entirely close the latter if desired. The parts so fardescribed enclose a separation chamber H the the dis h matriarch r.

Extending axially downwardly into the upper portion of the separation chamber II in concentric relation with the latter is a suction duct l2 terminating at its lower end in a downwardly flaring circular skirt l3 spaced above and in concentric relation with a grid composed of a plurality of vertically curved sheet metal vanes i i radiating from a common center at the vertical axis of the separating chamber and peripherally space dequidistantly to form a wheel-shaped unit resting on the inner wall surface of the bottom housing extension 1 intermediate the bottom end of the skirt l3 and the discharge aperture 8. As here shown, the center of the group of vanes I4 is centrally pierced by an axially vertical injector tube I6 whose upper end extends into the lower portion of the suction duct i2 and whose lower end is provided with a downwardly divergent frusto-conical skirt IT, the lower plane of which lies in spaced relation to and above the discharge aperture 8 and the periphery of which is spaced from the inner side wall surface of the housing extension 'I to provide an annular gap I 8 through which the discharge aperture is in communication with the separation chamber. Means is provided for establishing and maintaining a fluid flow in the suction duct l2, the said means being here shown as a suction blower [9 connected with the extreme outer end of the latter duct and exhausting directly into the atmosphere or any suitable receiver. Means, here shown as a spout structure 2| opening tangentially into the separation chamber I I, is provided for the introduction of mixtures, from which component elements are to be separated, into the chamber.

When fluid flow is instituted in the duct I2, such as by operation of the suction blower [9, an upward draft of atmospheric air is instituted through the discharge aperture 8, the injector tube [6 and the vanes I4 of the grid. This further induces radial flow of fluid from outlying portions of the separation chamber H and the space below the grid unit inwardly into the skirt members [3 and I1 respectively. The stream of fluid flowing upwardly through the grid unit is circumferentially deflected by the curvedlyim clined vanes I4 and is caused to whirl about the vertical axis of the separator thereby propagating a corresponding whirling movement of the volumetric contents of the separation chamber 1 I. Thus when a mixture of material which may be, for instance, grain straw and detached seed kernels, is admited to the chamber through the charging spout 2 l, the mixture will be caught up in the whirl and spun rapidly about thechamber axis. During such movement the mixture will be subjected to centrifugal, gravital and buoyant forces, the former being occasioned by the rotational movement which forces the seed or kernel values of greater unit mass weight to work their way radially outwardly through the straw and other components and to finally form an overlying layer on the inner wall surface of the chamber, the second force causing the whirling mass to settle downwardly in the chamber, and the final force, which is a resultant of the upward draft rising through the grid unit, counteracting the gravital force. Control of these forces may be'eifected by varying the operational speed of the suction blower l9 and by regulating the vertical position of the valving hood 9 so asto increase and decrease rarifications in the chamber above the mass, the greater the gap existing be-- tween the hood 9 and its seating flange-Athe more" skirt [3 before entering the latter.

4 rapid will be the downward movement of the mass contents of the chamber. It will he therefore seen that by proper adjustment of the various factors a very fine balance of the mass may be had at or just below the plane of the lower end of the skirt [3 whereby the downward descent of the mass is arrested to the extent that controlled admittance of the straw and other waste components comprising the axial core portion of the mass into the skirt i3 and suction duct i2 is obtained at a rate which will not clog the duct and impede eflicient operation of the apparatus. The inward flow of waste material into the suction duct is of course with such reduced force that the peripheral zone of the mass comprising the centrifugally separated kernels or other values which are hugging the chamber side wall and which are moving downwardly therealong will not be disturbed and be possibly drawn off with the waste material but may move unhindered downwardly and across the upper face of the grid unit to thereafter pass through the latter and eventually descend through the gap [8 and the discharge aperture 8.

During normal operations, an extraordinarily large charge of material introduced into the separating chamber through the charging spout 25 or when flow balances are so finely regulated that downward movement of the mass progresses at a very slow rate, waste material may become concentrated at the aforesaid arresting plane with the result that some values may become en trapped therein and may be carried off with the waste. To counteract this I provide one or more spring metal fingers 22 attached by rivets 23 or in any suitable manner to the housing 3 and curving tangentially from the wall surface of the chamber H radially inwardly and in the direction of rotation of the material mass in the chamber. The vertical height of the one or more fingers 22 substantially coincides with the arresting plane along which the Waste material starts its horizontal movement toward the suction duct The fingers are constructed of wire or strip material of minimum vertical width and serve to interrupt any matted or concentrated material and deflect the latter radially inwardly to a point where the material will be brought under the influence of the suction draft and will be rapidly drawn into the.

suction duct. The minimized vertical thickness of the fingers 22 will not interfere adversely with any rotational movement of the peripheral layer of recovered values lying on the chamber Wall surface so that the said values may progress uninterruptedly downwardly toward and through.

the grid unit.

It may possibly happen that, as the seeds or other values pass downwardly through the grid unit, a small proportion of straw fragments, hulls:

or other undesirable elements may succeed in avoiding the upward draft moving through the grid unit and might otherwise fall through thedischarge aperture with the values so that the grade classification of the latter would be impaired. In the apparatus'of my invention, such undesirable elements admixed with the values, in passing through the gap 18 will come under the influence of the radially inward pull "exerted on them bythe upward draft induced in the'injectortube I6 with the result .that substantially all of the impurities will be separated from the values and will be carried upwardly into the main suc-- '2 tion stream flowing in the duct 12 by means of which they will be carried through and exhausted from the suction "ran it, the seeds or other parti cles which ultimately discharge from the aperture 8 being as clean as is possible, commercially, tomahe them. i

The held of operation of the apparatus not limited :selely to the separation of grains from their straw and ether waste elcmentsbut may be utilized to eifect separation in other masses wherein the material to be recovered possesses definite ditl erence in and mass weight in comparison with other particles of the parent mixture, The flow balances to effect recovery of such selected component's require variable settingsei the suction shirts l3 and H, equally variable adjustments of the valve 9 and the grid unit vane angle and curvature as well as the operational speed of the suction -blower It. To facilitate such adjustments, the grid unit is arranged, as shown, to be removed and replaced with one of appropriate design for the particular mixture to be treated and the duct 12 and injector tube 16 are each adjustably positionable axially so as to selectively position the lower ends of the skirts i3 and 'l 1 in registry with various horizontal planes in the chamber sections above and below the grid unit respectively.

In Figure 2 I have shown a modified form of apparatus designed to thoroughly, remove any undesirable components of the mixturewhich may happen to be commingled with the valves issuing from the intake stage of separation. As here shown I provide a primary separator, generally indicated by the numeral M which in all particulars is identical with the apparatus previously described and in which the various parts bear similar reference numerals, the only structural differences being that the tube i2 is vented to the atmosphere, the injector tube 16 is connected to the pressure discharge of the blower 19 through an extension duct 26 and the discharge aperture 8 opens into a feeder duct 21 which leads into the upper peripheral portion of the chamber 28 of a secondary separator unit generally indicated by the numerals 29 so as to direct values discharged from the primary separator directly into the secondary separator. The secondary separator 29 is also essentially the same as the primary unit 24 with the exception that the tube I2 is extended through a communication duct 3| to connect with the suction inlet of the blower H).

In operation, the blower l9 institutes a flow of fluid which is drawn into the bottom of the duct I2 of the secondary separator unit to create a suction draft therein, and which is discharged through the injector tube 16 of the primary separator unit 24 to induce a corresponding suction in the duct 12 thereof. Thus the primary separator unit functions in the manner previously described, the seed or other values passing downwardly through the associated grid unit and through the feeder duct 21 into the chamber of the secondary separator unit 29 wherein they, together with any undesirable particles which may be intermixed therewith will be whirled as a mass within the chamber of the latter unit, the impurities eventually being drawn off in the suction stream of the blower and being eventually discharged to the atmosphere while the seeds or other values will ultimately pass, in thoroughly cleaned condition, downwardly through the grid unit of the secondary separator and into suitable collection means disposed below the ultimate discharge aperture 8.

In both forms of the invention above described it will be seen that I have provided thi pic and efficient means for eliminating clogging or matting "of the material masses so that mammum new of material through the -=apparatus is expedited and which results minimum value losses and a marked improvement in grade elassification of the resulting recoveries due to the substantially complete absence therefrom cf adulterant or contammatingmatter.

'1. In a separator having a housing provided with an inlet through which a mass :oi-f rial dram terial mixture may be introduced into and to gravitally descend in said chamber and a pile reality or outlets through which component pow tions or said mixture may be dischargedtrom said chamber, "unitary means for "establishing, a

continuous now or fluid through said chamber:-

between and through the outlets thereof, means for directing said new of fluid to induce rotational movement and attendant centrifugal force in said mass of material mixture whereby selected component portions of said are displaced to occupy a peripheral correct the mass,

, said means including apluralityorarcuatevames lying substantially completely across said new path and between which said selected components may pass, said now or fluid being di rected against said mass to substantially counteract gravital force [on all but said selected components thereof in a plane of said chamber adjacent one of said outlets thereof and to carry all but said selected components of the mass through said one of the outlets and exteriorly of the chamber, said selected components of the mass being continuously acted upon by gravity and passing from said chamber through another of said outlets, and a finger member secured to said housing and extending radially into said chamber for engaging and directing non-selected components of said mass toward and through one of said outlets.

2. Apparatus for separating heavier and lighter components from a mass of solid material having a housing enclosing an axially vertical chamber and provided at its upper end with a fluid inlet imparting a vertical whirling to the fluid and material and at its lower end with a central discharge aperture, an axially aligned suction duct entering said chamber and having a throat opening disposed in axially spaced. relation to and above said discharge aperture and below said inlet, and a plurality of arcuate vane members extending radially from adjacent said chamber axis to the inner peripheral surface of said housing and being disposed substantially in a horizontal plane intermediate said throat opening and said discharge aperture, and forming a substantially horizontal perforate division plate and serving to direct a definite motion to fluid entering the chamber through said discharge aperture and to permit the discharge of heavy components of said material through said aperture.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which each of said vane members are provided with an arcuate cross-sectional form whereby the upper generally horizontally disposed edges thereof vertically overlie the lower edge of one of the next adjacent vane members.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including a member secured to said housing. and extending substantially radially into said chamber for engaging and diverting whirling moving portions of said material axially inwardly, said latter member having minimized thickness in a vertical direction and being disposed substantially entirely in a horizontal plane intermediate saidvane members and said throat opening.

5. Apparatus for separating heavier and lighter solid components from a mass of material includinga housing enclosing an axially vertical chamber and provided at its upper end with a fluid inlet imparting a vertical whirl to the fluid and material and at its lower end with a central discharge aperture, an axially aligned suction duct in said chamber and having a throat opening disposed in axially spaced relation to and above said discharge aperture and below said inlet, a second axially aligned duct of a smaller size than said suction duct extending downwardly from adjacent said throat opening, a plurality of arcuate vane members extending radially from adjacent said second duct to the inner peripheral surface of said housing and being disposed substantially in a horizontal plane intermediate said throat opening and said discharge aperture, and forming a substantially horizontal perforate division plate and serving to direct a definite motion to fluid entering the chamber through said discharge aperture and to permit the discharge of heavier solid components of said material through said aperture, said 8 chamber having a conical portion below said di-" vision plate, and said second duct entering and terminating adjacent said conical portion.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which each of said vanes are disposed with the upper edge thereof overlying in a vertical plane the lower edge of one of the next adjacent vane members.

ELWIN V. GORDON.

ROBERT D. SIMPSON. FRANK CARDOZA.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 969,971 Morscher Sept. 13, 1910 1,149,463 Pardee Aug. 10, 1915 1,367,637 Sturtevant Feb. 8, 1921 1,660,683 Stebbins Feb. 28, 1928 1,709,848 Hardinge Apr. 23, 1929 1,724,041 Plaisted Aug. 13, 1929 1,897,144 Prouty Feb. 14, 1933 2,128,166 Schmidt Aug. 23, 1938 2,354,311 Harlow July 25, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country I Date 676,456 Germany June 3, 1939 

